Column: Why We Need the Patriot Act

Why We Need the Patriot Act
Rep. Boozman's Column for the Week of August 8, 2005

Speaking at his Homeland Security/DOJ Funding Seminar

Washington, Aug 8 - The recent terror attacks in London have lead to a call for tougher anti-terror laws in Great Britain. Here in America, the heinous attacks on one of our staunchest allies have put homeland security back on the forefront of many of our minds. It reminds us that the threat is still out there and that unless we remain vigilant, we are vulnerable. And it reminds us that we need the Patriot Act.

Since its passage shortly after the September 11th attacks, the Patriot Act has played a key role in protecting America from another attack at home. The reason the Patriot Act works is that it gives law enforcement the tools to prevent a terrorist attack before it happens. It gives us the ability to proactively detect and disrupt terrorist attacks instead of waiting to prosecute those responsible after the fact.

Before the Patriot Act, there were major legal barriers that prevented the law enforcement intelligence and national defense communities from talking and coordinating their work. It has been well established at this point that there was a major intelligence and law enforcement failure leading up to the 9/11 attacks. The Patriot Act has torn down the wall that prevented our intelligence and law enforcement agencies from uncovering the 9/11 plot by making information sharing and cooperation among government agencies smoother.

The tools in the Patriot Act are not new. In fact, many of the tools the Patriot Act have been used for decades to fight organized crime and drug dealers. The Patriot Act extends these very effective tools to help us fight the War on Terror. Specifically, the law allows federal agents to follow sophisticated terrorists trained to evade detection; to conduct investigations without tipping off terrorists; and to ask a court for an order to obtain business records in national security terrorism cases.

In the past, law enforcement personnel were required to obtain a series of search warrants, one by one, form a series of different judges everywhere suspected terrorists may be hiding documents about planned attacks or other evidence. Now, they can obtain multiple warrants in any district, regardless of where they will be executed. This allows law enforcement to quickly track potential terrorists, like the 9/11 attackers, who spread out and plan their attacks in more than one location.

There is usually a network that provides support behind every attack. We all know that the nineteen hijackers that took part in the 9/11 attacks did not plan the attacks on their own. The Patriot Act also increases penalties for those who commit terrorist crimes, including those who provide support but do not take part in the actual attack. Those who finance and help plan terror attacks are just as much of a threat as those who carry them out.

Despite the misinformation out there, the Patriot Act has given us critical information that has helped us prevent more attacks here at home. The Patriot Act has been used to break-up terror cells and prosecute terrorist operatives in ten states. It has led to almost four hundred arrests of individuals suspected of terrorist activities and resulted in over two hundred convictions.

While seeking to reauthorize the Patriot Act, we have also attempted to modify it and remove provisions that do not help us in the War on Terror. An example of this is a provision that allowed law enforcement to access library materials and bookstore sales records. I joined a majority of my colleagues who voted to rescind this provision as there is a general agreement that it has been ineffective. The majority of the provisions in the law are working though, and we have held numerous hearings in Congress to ensure that they are carried out in an appropriate manner.

Shortly after the attacks in London, the House of Representatives passed an extension of the Patriot Act. The fact remains, terrorists are serious about trying to kill innocent Americans. We need to be serious in our efforts to stop them. The Patriot Act provides the necessary tools to law enforcement and needs to remain in effect if we are going to win the War on Terror.

http://www.boozman.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=32172